An Australian pundit Grahame Morris has apologised for ranting that Irish people can't grow patatoes.

During a conversation on Australian politics and a potential vote on same sex marriage in the country following a historic successful referendum in Ireland, commentator Grahame Morris referred to the shamrock as a "mutant lawn weed".

The Liberal Party adviser also made a comment on the Sky News programme on Monday last week regarding the potato blight during the Famine in the mid 1800s, which sparked an exodus from the island.

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Mr Morris said a possible vote on gay marriage was one of the "most insensitive cons" he has seen in Australian politics and added: "And the trigger was a vote in Ireland.

"You know I love the Irish - half the parliament's full of Irishmen - but these are people who can't grow potatoes.

"They've got a mutant lawn weed as their national symbol and they can't verbalise the difference between a 'tree' and the number 'three'."

Mr Morris added: "All of a sudden Australians must now follow suit."

On Tuesday, Grahame Morris apologised for his 'tasteless' attempt at 'morose humour'.

Speaking on Sky News, he said: "I got myself into a hell of a pickle on this. To all those with Irish backgrounds, which includes me, incidentally, I'm actually very sorry.

"What I said was tasteless and I copped the whack I probably deserved."

Political reporter Laura Jayes mentioned the amount of emails that Sky News had gotten in relation to his comments.

Morris added that "kick Grahame" was now the national sport of Ireland "instead of Gaelic football and soccer".